All posts filed under: Hot Pot (Nabe)

It’s been a while blogging… I’ve been quite disturbed over the past month or so, to admit that the US Presidential Election has kept me unfocused on the everyday things which I normally would do. Although I no longer live in California, I’ve spend a good 15 plus years in the States and the unexpected outcome of the election has kept me to feel the pain of my Californian friends, their disappointment, fear and above all what to expect come January 20th 2017. The outcome, not much we can all do except move forward and the words of President Obama told his daughters are quite comforting to console our hearts as well. だいぶご無沙汰してしまったブログです。 ちょっと習慣が抜けるとついつい。 その内アメリカの大統領選が始まり、長年カリフォルニアに在住していた私とはやはり気になるゆくえでした。まさかの、まさかの勝利。さすがに落ち込みました。まさかが起きるアメリカではありますが、、あってはいけない結果だった様な気がします。 アメリカにまだ住んでいる友達の事を思うと気は落ち着かず（今でもですが、、）トランプ時期大統領のニュースばかり追ってしまいます。 しかし、オバマ大統領が娘たちに言った言葉という記事を読み少し心が落ち着きました。英語の記事ですがご興味のあるかたは是非。 ブログをお休み中にはInstagramでアップした画像を中心に今日は書き下ろしていきます。 So here are some of Dinner Menus which has been uploaded through my Instagram. Wild natural Nameko (Mushroom) from my sister used for Nameko and Watercress Hot Pot 天然なめことクレソン鍋 The nameko is a mushroom with a slippery gelatinous coating. It is quite often used for miso soup but when it comes as natural as what may sister …

This post may come as a ‘shocking post’ but to emphasize that it is NOT a PET TURTLE as to being one of the fine delicacies in our eastern part of the world, the soft-shelled turtle (which we call it suppon in Japanese) considered equivalent to medicine from ancient Chinese history.

‘Barbecue Pork’ is an all time favorite for housewives. Supermarkets sell cooked barbecue pork and it comes in handy for dishes which need a slight flavor such to name a few – sauteed vegetables, fried rice, etc. etc.

My encounter with this hot pot dish was at Bangkok, 2 years ago; when we visited Bangkok and Samui Island for a short summer vacation. It was served at a concierge recommended Thai restaurant called ‘Tongue Thai Restaurant in Bangkok’ .

Here is a great dish for Chinese food lovers – Mapo Tofu – spicy mince meat with tofu. A lot of people think Mapo Tofu is an incredibly difficult dish to make at home. Well you are thinking wrong…..as long as you have the proper ingredients it’s a very easy dish. If you do Chinese home cooking, the condiments are not the rare type so you should have most all or may be just one or two missing. The recipe I use regularly use is quite an old recipe which I picked up from a former chef from Akasaka Shisen Hanten （2-5-5 Hiraga-Cho, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, Japan Tel : 03-3263-9371) . I think, the key to holding the taste together is sansho (pepper) and the various blends of bean pastes. 我家の愛用レシピ、赤坂四川飯店の『麻婆豆腐』。 かなり昔のレシピですが自宅でちょっと本格的な麻婆豆腐が味わえます。最近では味の素やレトルトの『麻婆豆腐』の素もかなりレベルが高い味ですが、自分で調合した達成感。山椒が本格的な味を豆板醤とのバランスで出している気がします。辛さは各家庭で変えるのもいいかと思います。中華料理店に行った気分になれます。 また、多めに作って次の日のお昼に『麻婆豆腐丼』もかなりいけてます。 是非、お試しあ〜れ。 赤坂四川飯店 〒102-0093 東京都千代田区平河町2-5-5 全国旅館会館5F・6F 電話：03-3263-9371 Mapo Tofu Recipe – 200 g pork mince meat 1 tofu 1 long leaks 2 cloves of garlic 10 sansho pepper 1 cup (200ml) chicken soup stock 1 tablespoon sweet soy bean paste 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon broad …

OMG…. this is probably the most natural reaction if your are not familiar with this fish…. even if you are…no doubt it still has a lot of visual impact. This is a MONKFISH (‘ANKO’ in Japanese). If you are a fish or sushi lover, I am sure some may have heard of BLOWFISH (‘FUGU’ in Japanese) but not so much of this MONKFISH (‘ANKO’) which is a winter delicacy. It is caught in deep waters residing at the bottom of the ocean, forgiving the part of looking grotesque and ugly, the fish itself has a firm flesh, full of collagen, jelly-like and is very delicious. The most popular way of eating MONKFISH is of a hot pot seen below. Oarai town in Ibaraki prefecture, some 2 hour northeast of Tokyo is well known for this MONKFISH fishery. We took a drive to a restaurant called ‘Oomori’ at Oarai, a restaurant which normally specializes in sardines cuisine but serves monkfish only during the winter months. 毎年念願だった行事の一つ。 冬が終わる前に、、『あんこう鍋』を食べに大洗まで行ってきました。あんこうのつるし切りはさすがにインパクトありますわ。一番寒い今の季節は肝も脂が乗っていてあんこうが一番美味しい時期だと地元の人は言っておりました。我々が訪れたのはいわし専門料理というお店でしたが、冬の数ヶ月だけあんこう鍋もやっている大洗『大森』というお店に行ってまいりました。（茨城県東茨城群大洗町磯浜町3152-1/TEL 029.267.4060) 『あんこう鍋』 This is the ANKO NABE, a hot pot …

It’s snowing again in Tokyo…whew…. not so bad as of yet but forecast calls for more heavy snowfall towards the evening and overnight. また、東京は雪予報です。 また、まさにみぞれ状態で積もってはいませんが夜半から積雪は増える予報。東京の雪は本当に困りますね。冬場に２〜３回しかふらない街は雪対策ができていなく、生活のスピードが一挙に落ちます。最もいつも早足の東京ではこうゆう日が数日あっても悪くはないのかも知れません。たまには雪を見ながら、、自宅で『雪見鍋（雪鍋）』でもいかがでしょうか。

Slightly late blog but….. Rice porridge with 7 spring herbs to be taken January 7th (Breakfast). 7日の朝に食べる『七草粥』: Rice Porridge with 7 Herbs : After our New Year Celebration, to soothe and rest our stomachs and digestive system; we have a tradition of eating NANAKUSA KAYU (Rice porridge with 7 herbs) on January 7th. The herbs are first boiled in light salt water and chopped added to the rice porridge. The effects of the herbs are as follows : The 7 Herbs : Water dropwort (芹 : せり seri) is rich in iron, good for red eye and dizziness. Shepherd’s Purse (薺 : なずな nazuna) conditions the digestive function. Cudweed (御形 : ごぎょう gogyō) will help you stop coughing and loosen phlegm. Chickweed (繁縷 : はこべら hakobera) contains relatively many protein and minerals, used as medical herb. It will also reduce stomach irritation and help delicate stomach. Nipplewort (仏の座 : ほとけのざ hotokenoza) relieves muscle pain. Turnip (菘 : すずな suzuna) regulates the stomach and intestines, and reduces fever. Radish (蘿蔔 : すずしろ suzushiro) also helps workings …

Pork belly seem fattening but not really…I think. The nutrients in ‘pork’ is excellent containing high protein, high B1 vitamins and a good source of B2, B6, B12 and Niacin. The iron in pork is easy for the body to absorb and also aids the absorption of iron from bread and vegetables. It is also a source of zinc and selenium. And of all, it tastes good if cooked properly. Here is an easy way of cooking which I often used for meats to retain the ‘tenderness’. Choose a pork belly with the degree of fat of you choice. Using salt and herbs, marinate the meat overnight to let the herb flavor and salt settle into the meat. Just about an hour before you dinner guests to arrive, brown the pork belly in a frying pan (in high heat), the purpose is NOT TO cook the meat but concealing the meat juice from extracting out of the flesh. I use HOT POT but you can also use a CUISINART or HEAVY LID PAN …